Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to methods of compensating for vacuum pressure changes within plastic containers, and in particular embodiments to methods that result in plastic containers in which the contents are pressurized to reinforce the walls of the containers.
Related Art
In order to achieve the strength characteristics of a glass bottle, conventional lightweight plastic containers are typically provided with rib structures, recessed waists, or other structures that reinforce the sidewall of the container. While known reinforcing structures usually provide the necessary strength, they tend to clutter the sidewall of the container and detract from the desired smooth, sleek appearance of a glass container. In addition, the known reinforcing structures often limit the number of shapes and configurations that are available to bottle designers. Thus, there remains a need in the art for a relatively lightweight plastic container that has the strength characteristics of a glass container as well as the smooth, sleek appearance of a glass container, and offers increased design opportunities.